SpaceShipOne wins the XPrize
Pictures by Stratofox team members

X-Prize Flight 2: The Return of SpaceShipOne

At this point, this is already an historically significant flight. The second civilian astronaut has now returned from space. And he broke the set by Joe Walker in 1963. But the X-Prize still all still depends on Brian getting back safely with the spacecraft. And nevermind the X-Prize, Brian's safe return is still the primary goal above all others.

And now the crowd watches SpaceShipOne's approach to the airport with excitement and anticipation. There are cheers and snapping cameras heard from all directions.

(all pictures on this page are by Ian Kluft)

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(3072x2048 1775K) (500x333 3K) 		12 minutes after the rocket boost, Brian Binnie has returned from his first space flight, which was SpaceShipOne's third flight to space. (Well, it's been back for a minute or two, but this was my first chance to focus the camera on it and take a picture.) The crowd goes wild at the first sight of SpaceShipOne's return to the airport. The Starship chase plane has already formed up with SpaceShipOne by the time I was able to get this first photo.
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(3072x2048 1795K) (500x333 3K) 		SpaceShipOne and the Starship chase plane circle over the Mojave Airport. SpaceShipOne is gliding - but it glides well.
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(3072x2048 1787K) (500x333 3K) 		SpaceShipOne and the Starship chase plane circle over the Mojave Airport.
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(3072x2048 1717K) (500x333 3K) 		SpaceShipOne and the Starship chase plane circle over the Mojave Airport.
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(3072x2048 1682K) (500x333 3K) 		SpaceShipOne and the Starship chase plane circle over the Mojave Airport.
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(3072x2048 1679K) (500x333 3K) 		SpaceShipOne and the Starship chase plane circle over the Mojave Airport.
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(3072x2048 1637K) (500x333 3K) 		SpaceShipOne and the Starship chase plane circle over the Mojave Airport.
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(3072x2048 1528K) (500x333 3K) 		SpaceShipOne and the Starship chase plane circle over the Mojave Airport.
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(3072x2048 1516K) (500x333 3K) 		SpaceShipOne and the Starship chase plane circle over the Mojave Airport.
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(3072x2048 1724K) (500x333 3K) 		The AlphaJet forms up with the Starship to follow SpaceShipOne.
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(3072x2048 1495K) (500x333 3K) 		The AlphaJet and Starship chase planes follow SpaceShipOne as it circles above the Mojave Airport.
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(3072x2048 1647K) (500x333 3K) 		The AlphaJet and Starship chase planes follow SpaceShipOne as it circles above the Mojave Airport.
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(3072x2048 1657K) (500x333 3K) 		The AlphaJet and Starship chase planes follow SpaceShipOne as it circles above the Mojave Airport.
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(3072x2048 1709K) (500x333 3K) 		The AlphaJet and Starship chase planes follow SpaceShipOne as it circles above the Mojave Airport.
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(3072x2048 2963K) (500x333 24K) 		People at the VIP viewing area watch SpaceShipOne's return.
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(3072x2048 1721K) (500x333 4K) 		The Extra 300 chase plane has joined the formation following SpaceShipOne and turned on its air show smoke.
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(3072x2048 1666K) (500x333 4K) 		The chase planes follow SpaceShipOne. The Extra's air show smoke celebrates a successful space flight.
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(3072x2048 1573K) (500x333 3K) 		The chase planes follow SpaceShipOne. The Extra's air show smoke celebrates a successful space flight.
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(3072x2048 1605K) (500x333 3K) 		The chase planes follow SpaceShipOne. The Extra's air show smoke celebrates a successful space flight.
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(3072x2048 1632K) (500x333 4K) 		The chase planes follow SpaceShipOne. The Extra's air show smoke celebrates a successful space flight.
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(3072x2048 1598K) (500x333 4K) 		The chase planes follow SpaceShipOne. The Extra's air show smoke celebrates a successful space flight.
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(3072x2048 1595K) (500x333 4K) 		The chase planes follow SpaceShipOne. The Extra's air show smoke celebrates a successful space flight.
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(3072x2048 1766K) (500x333 4K) 		The chase planes follow SpaceShipOne. The Extra's air show smoke celebrates a successful space flight.
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(3072x2048 1772K) (500x333 4K) 		The chase planes follow SpaceShipOne. The Extra's air show smoke celebrates a successful space flight.
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(3072x2048 1804K) (500x333 3K) 		The Extra chase plane follows SpaceShipOne on its glide to the Runway.
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(3072x2048 1817K) (500x333 3K) 		The Extra chase plane follows SpaceShipOne on its glide to the Runway.
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(3072x2048 1851K) (500x333 4K) 		The chase planes follow SpaceShipOne on its glide to the Runway.
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(3072x2048 1841K) (500x333 4K) 		The chase planes follow SpaceShipOne on its glide to the Runway.
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(3072x2048 1815K) (500x333 4K) 		The chase planes follow SpaceShipOne on its glide to the Runway.
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(3072x2048 1829K) (500x333 3K) 		The chase planes follow SpaceShipOne on its glide to the Runway.
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(3072x2048 1700K) (500x333 3K) 		The chase planes follow SpaceShipOne on its glide to the Runway.
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(3072x2048 1647K) (500x333 3K) 		The chase planes follow SpaceShipOne on its glide to the Runway.
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(3072x2048 1685K) (500x333 3K) 		The chase planes follow SpaceShipOne on its glide to the Runway.
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(3072x2048 1508K) (500x333 3K) 		The chase planes follow SpaceShipOne on its glide to the Runway.
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(3072x2048 1522K) (500x333 3K) 		The chase planes follow SpaceShipOne on its glide to the Runway.
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(3072x2048 1622K) (500x333 3K) 		The chase planes follow SpaceShipOne on its glide to the Runway.
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(3072x2048 1513K) (500x333 5K) 		The chase planes follow SpaceShipOne on its glide to the Runway.

Back up to Stratofox's pictures of SpaceShipOne's XPrize space flights.

Web text copyright 2004 by Stratofox, a Special Interest Group of the South Bay Community Network, Silicon Valley, California
All pictures copyright 2004 by their photographers. Any publication or redistribution of these pictures requires permission. Permission is available upon request and will require crediting the photographers for their pictures.